A year
by heyxjudee
Summary: "A year she's been gone. If it was someone other than me I would say they felt worry, but as I don't feel things like that, I am unsure what to call it. I might settle with the word discomfort if really pushed. But only because I know what their like..."


As I sit impassively on my throne enthralling the vermin, I can't help but think of her again.

A year she's been gone.

Well, 382 days. But hey, whose counting? It's not as if I don't know where she is. It wouldn't be hard to guess even if I wasn't acquainted with people of the same…blood… but knowing where she is doesn't necessary make me feel better. The fae are rumored to have been just as vicious and conniving as vampires, if not more so. And that is saying something.

Among the many things in my life that I have never revealed to another, save Godric, is that Sookie is not the first fae I have ever met. She, in fact, isn't even in the running for the strongest. For a secret of mine is that I was once allies with the Prince. I have also met a few here and there along the way, whether they lived to meet others after our encounter is…questionable. The fae are loyal unless betrayed but I know first hand just how vicious and conniving they are.

I had met the Prince when there had been a vampire/fae war when I was young. Fae blood is truly intoxicating to us if consumed and some can barely even take the smell. Many young ones were killed when they went into the bloodlust caused by their carelessness of consumption, as we become almost completely unaware of our surroundings other than on the outlet of our lust.

Godric had come across me on my pyre before the war had started but in the period where there were whispers and murmurs that it was coming. He had seen my skill and so turned me for a companion, but also for another number to add to the ranks. As Godric and I grew closer he decided to teach me restraint, because in his words :"I do not want to lose you, my child, as I know countless other Makers will due to their lack of preparation in their progeny's abilities." And so Godric taught me extreme restraint. So extreme that I got to the point that could ignore the call of the blood I felt when the smell hit the air. But he also taught me, for lack of a better phrasing, how to "hold my liquor," so that even if I did consume some I still had my wits about me. I had the control of a vampire hundreds of years my senior, while having the fighting skills and fearlessness of a berserker (which I had become after the death of my family as I had nothing left to lose) so I became a perfect warrior for the battles. I could fight and kill without losing myself to the power of the blood of my enemies.

I had separated with Godric for a short while during the war and came across the Prince. We had fought, and it was evenly matched until I made a tiny miscalculation. A miscalculation that almost cost me my life. I had fallen to my knees when he had knocked my sword from my hand, as I was slowly healing from the wounds inflicted by his silver sword. He stood weakly, shakily, puffing air from the exertion of staying upright. With the last of his energy he raised his sword to sever my head from my body as I stared at him in defiance even as I waited for death. He went for the kill but stopped short. I had never been never more confused, though I didn't let it show. He gave a low chuckle and put the sword point first in the ground so as to lean on it. He said he was impressed with my battle prowess and fearlessness and so he would have mercy on me. Mercy in exchange for a favor. He asked for my word that no matter where I was and no matter when he called for me that I would come. Seeing no alternative other than to die; I warily agreed. The vampire/fae war ended shortly there after, the same way all wars end : with no one truly the victor. There were great loses on both sides but as fae are born not bled into life, their overall numbers suffered greatly and never really recovered.

About 200 years later he summoned me and being a man of my word I left my then current dwellings to meet him. He told me it was time to repay the favor that I owed him. He said he really shouldn't call us even for allowing me the "privilege" of the offer he was to make but figured if I was to accept it and do it to the best of my ability, I would want to wipe my debt clean. I was glad he knew at least that about me. His favor to ask of me was very simple : fight by my side. Sounding too simple, I asked for what reason. He told me since he was calling in the favor he owed me no explanation but in a gesture of good will he would tell me. Apparently the fae were having another war but this time between the factions for territory (as fairies are separated by their abilities based on the four elements.) He wanted to have a vampire fight with him, as we are their natural enemies, and more often then not, the predator in the relationship. The problem with this was that other vampires could not control their urges when faced with just the natural scent of a fae let alone their blood. Due to my restraint this was not a problem and so he wished for me to fight with him to defeat the other factions and win the war. Again, having no choice, I agreed.

We fought side by side on and off for about 2 years which nothing at all in the scheme of things, but still longer than I had anticipated. However, I had nothing worth going back to (as I had been separated from Godric for a few year by that time), I got to use my skills, gain more, and do what I was made for so I never complained. That is, until the final battle. When the war was drawing to a close we came upon the Prince's son who was young in comparison to other fae I had fought over the years. His son had sided with the Prince's brother. The Prince and his brother fought. As much as I did not want to fight the son, I was bound by my word to do so. The battle was relatively short and the Prince killed his brother and cut out his heart as a trophy and proof of victory. While I had been simply toying with the son. But try as I may, I simple could not kill the son. I was honor bound by my word but I was also honor bound by my morals. I would not kill a child. The times had changed and I had changed with it. As far as I was concerned he was still a child, even if in my day he would have been considered a man.

The Prince, annoyed at my inability to kill his son, set to so do so himself. I asked him why did the boy have to die when he had won the war. He replied that the war was for the crown and he could not take the chance that his son would kill him for it. I had known he had lied to me when he said the war had been for territory but I had not thought it would be for the crown as there was already a High Queen. His claiming the crown made no sense to me but I had no interest in fae politics and so said nothing on the topic. I told him that I would not take part in the suffering of the boy. When I said suffering there was a fire of an idea behind his eyes. He turned to his son and spoke words of a spell in a language very few had ever heard. I recognized it, as well as the spell. The spell he cast on his own son, was of a warp of reality. That would twist everything that the child heard and saw. It was a rare even among his own people to be cast, as it was a spell that caused constant punishment. When he finished the spell and sent his son away, I finally spoke again. I asked to be released from his service as my job was done. He hesitantly agreed, thanked me for my service, and vanished.

I didn't come across another fae for another 100 years. I had been wandering and came across her scent and tracked her to a clearing. A full blooded fae woman. As soon as she saw me she set forth to run but I easily caught her and she addressed me by name, begging for her life. Confused, I asked her how she knew me. As she was not old enough, even with the life span of a fae, to have ever met me. She began crying and telling the story of the 'Destroyer' by the name of Eric that had fought with the Prince during the fae war. She spoke of how the Prince learned the abilities of the 'Destroyer' through other fae during the vampire/fae war and so sought him out. How they fought and the Prince, before he was almost killed, struck back and then stuck a bargain. She told me the entire tale of the 'Destroyer' and the Prince. Even the ending where the Prince killed his family for a crown that he was not granted.

By the end of her telling I was no longer hungry nor did I no longer wish for any connection to the fae. With this in mind, I released her. She thought I was kidding. That I set her free so that I could chase her, and get the thrill of the hunt. I gave her my word that that was not the case but if she told anyone that I had simply let her go, I would find her and fix my mistake. She looked at me questioningly for a moment or two but eventually she seemed to see my seriousness in my words. She nodded and said "So it seems the Destroyer does in fact have honor. Good night. I will see you again, I'm sure." She turned and went in one direction as I went back the way I came.

That was the last fae I saw until I met Sookie.

This is why me knowing where she is doesn't necessary make me feel better. I have seen what they have done and what they can do. I doubt she is in any danger but that does not mean that I like the idea of her being there. If it was someone other than me I would say they felt worry, but as I don't feel things like that, I am unsure what to call it. I might settle with the word discomfort if really pushed.

I am still sitting impassively on my throne enthralling the vermin, thinking of her, when a woman approaches me. A woman approaching me is not a rare thing, but this woman smells of magic. I have been around long enough and seen way to many witches to not recognize black magic when I see a carrier of it. I am internally wary but give nothing away, still appearing stoic, so as to not show my hand. If she is what I think she is (and lets face it: I've very rarely wrong on things like this) I don't want to give her the upper hand by sharing my knowledge of her powers. The best way to win a game, is to be the only one who knows the rules.

Just as the witch is about to begin speaking, I feel my blood start to come alive. Sookie has just returned. I quickly stand up ready to go make sure she is safe and alright…only for the sake of not losing my asset. OR not…

As I go to pass the witch she reaches out and touches my arm. I drop my fangs and toss her aside. I am not in the mood for this. I must reach Sookie, before someone else does, someone else who does not have her best interests in mind.

That's my last thought as I register the witch chanting, and world around me disappears.


End file.
